Development finance in Cambridge
CoreFi arranges development finance for Cambridge property projects, from residential builds and conversions to commercial and lab schemes across the city and South Cambridgeshire. We are a broker, not a lender, working a whole-of-market panel. The lender assesses the scheme, decides and prices the facility.
Development finance funds a building project through its phases, typically covering land and a share of build costs, then releasing further funds as work progresses. In and around Cambridge that spans residential schemes, conversions, and the commercial and laboratory space that the knowledge economy keeps demanding.
CoreFi arranges development finance as a broker. We take your scheme to a whole-of-market panel of development lenders and match it to those with the right appetite for the location, the asset type and your experience. The lender assesses the project and sets the terms; any loan-to-cost or loan-to-value figures we mention are indicative only.
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Share the scheme details
Tell us about the site, the type of development, the costs, your experience and the intended exit. This lets us judge which development lenders are realistic.
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We approach the right development lenders
We take your scheme to development lenders on our whole-of-market panel whose appetite fits the location, asset type and your track record, including those comfortable with commercial and lab space.
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We support the case to a decision
We help present costs, valuations and the exit strategy, and manage the process. The lender assesses the scheme and decides whether to fund it and at what loan-to-cost.
Residential development across a high-demand housing market
Cambridge is one of the least affordable places in the country to buy a home, and demand for housing is intense both in the city and across the growth areas around it. Large-scale development at Northstowe, Cambourne, Waterbeach New Town and Trumpington Meadows sits alongside smaller infill and conversion projects in established neighbourhoods like Chesterton, Cherry Hinton and Romsey. Development lenders weigh location, the strength of local demand, your track record and the exit, whether that is sales or a refinance onto a term facility. Cambridge's underlying demand is a genuine strength in a lender's eyes, but planning constraints and build costs still have to stack up, and we frame the case honestly around that.
Commercial and lab space for the knowledge cluster
Cambridge has a structural shortage of the kind of space its economy needs, particularly laboratory and R&D space for life sciences and deep-tech occupiers. Schemes on and around the Science Park, the Biomedical Campus, Granta Park and Babraham exist precisely because demand outstrips supply. Funding commercial and lab-enabled development is more specialised than standard residential: build specifications are demanding, costs are higher and lenders look closely at pre-lets, covenant strength and the end occupier market. We work with lenders who understand commercial and mixed-use schemes and can help position a Cambridge project to the parts of the market most likely to engage with it.
Understanding the local planning and exit picture
Development finance lives or dies on a credible exit, and in Cambridge that is shaped by a tight, heavily managed planning environment and strong but specific demand. Greater Cambridge planning policy, green belt constraints and the pace of infrastructure all affect what gets consent and how quickly it sells or lets. A lender will want to see that your numbers work with realistic sales or letting assumptions and a sensible contingency, not best-case figures. We help you present the scheme, the costs and the exit clearly, and we are straight with you if the market looks challenging. The lender makes the final decision on whether to fund and on what terms.
Frequently asked questions
What types of development can you help fund in Cambridge?
We arrange finance for residential builds and conversions, commercial schemes and lab-enabled development across Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire. What a lender will support depends on the scheme, its costs and the exit. The lender makes the final decision.
Do I need previous development experience?
Lenders generally prefer a track record, and it can widen your options, but appetite varies across the market. We are honest about how your experience affects the case and match it to lenders accordingly. The lender assesses each scheme on its merits.
Can you help with lab and commercial schemes, not just housing?
Yes. Cambridge has strong demand for lab and R&D space, and some lenders on our panel are comfortable with commercial and mixed-use development. These schemes are more specialised, and the lender looks closely at pre-lets and the occupier market.
Are the loan-to-cost figures you mention guaranteed?
No. Any loan-to-cost, loan-to-value or timeline figures are indicative and illustrative only. Every development facility is assessed and priced by the lender based on the scheme, the costs and the exit. We do not lend.
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Tell us what your business needs and we will match you with lenders whose criteria fit. No obligation, no cost to start the conversation, and a straight answer about what is realistic for your situation.
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